Sen. Eric Schmitt Confirms the Big Beautiful Bill Kicks Illegal Aliens Off of Medicaid

As Twitchy reported earlier, the Senate passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Tuesday, with Vice President J.D. Vance casting the tiebreaking vote. Sen. Eric Schmitt confirms that the bill kicks 1.4 million illegal aliens off Medicaid, "betraying working families," according to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

On Monday, the Senate voted 56-44, failing to pass a provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill to remove Medicaid benefits from illegal aliens. Some blamed the Senate Parliamentarian, without whose interference the provision would have passed with a 50+1 vote, but instead it required 60. So what's going on? Will illegal aliens still be entitled to Medicaid or not?

Sen. Eric Schmitt posted a thread explaining that the language to cut off Medicaid for illegals DID make it into the final draft of the bill.

The Big Beautiful Bill kicks 1.4 MILLION illegal immigrants off Medicaid.

For too long, Americans have been paying for the welfare of people who shouldn't even be in our country.

Today, the Senate voted to end that.

And yes—this DID make it into the final draft of the bill. 🧵
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025

Yesterday, there were a lot of rumors floating around about the ban on Medicaid for illegal aliens being stripped from the bill.

Thankfully, that's not true. It's very much in the bill we just passed.

You can look it up below. Page 602. Section 77109.https://t.co/9B54AyrRBo
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025

Here's where the rumor came from: During yesterday's vote-a-rama, an amendment banning Medicaid for illegal immigrants was voted down.

The clip of that vote started circulating online—and folks took that to mean that the provision had been stripped from the bill altogether.
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025

But that was just one of many "messaging amendments," designed to force Democrats to vote against specific provisions—in this case, a ban on some Medicaid funding for illegal aliens who commit heinous crimes—on the record.

It was meant to show the public how radical they are.
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025

The ban itself was ALREADY in the bill. It was never taken out.

And it wasn't just a ban on some Medicaid for illegal immigrants who commit heinous crimes—it applies to ALL Medicaid for ALL illegal immigrants. (And most noncitizens generally).
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025

The bill we passed actually goes much further—beyond banning Medicaid for 1.4 million illegal aliens, it:

• Requires states to verify citizenship status before providing coverage
• Bans automatic Medicaid enrollment for children of illegal aliens
• Excludes DACA from Medicaid
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025

According to the Congressional Budget Office, roughly 1.4 million illegal immigrants are currently on Medicaid, despite the fact that they don't meet federal enrollment requirements—because blue states have expanded their (federally funded) Medicaid programs to include them.
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025

As of April 2025, 14 states plus Washington, D.C. offer government healthcare to people "regardless of immigration status."

Seven states (CA, CO, IL, MN, NY, OR, WA) plus D.C. offer government healthcare to adults (i.e., not just children) "regardless of immigration status." pic.twitter.com/SxKjsa27Pp
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025

The Big Beautiful Bill ends that arrangement by restricting Medicaid eligibility.

According to the official data from the CBO (see below), that kicks a whopping 1.4 million illegal immigrants off the Medicaid rolls. pic.twitter.com/zTeutcnpIz
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025

We're not talking about a few bucks here and there. This could cost blue states tens of billions of dollars.

A lot of these states have serious budget problems already. They're going to have to choose between their addiction to mass migration and averting financial collapse.
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025

That means blue states are left with a choice: Either send your illegal immigrants home, or you're going to be paying their bills yourself.

It's easy when you're doing it on the American taxpayer's dime. It's a lot tougher when it's all coming from your own constituents.
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025

So to reiterate: The "ban Medicaid for illegal immigrants" amendment failed because it didn't reach the 60-vote threshold—but the original ban was already in the bill.

The bill that the Senate just passed.

A massive victory for America First.
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) July 1, 2025